Filing-cabinet.



N0 MODEL.

PATENTED JULY 12, 1904, I

T.P.DOLAN.

FILING CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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44 ,2? a 42 M /v J WITNESSES: "I 13 z nvyE/vmfi S Q7 M 3 flanzaazB-Faiam No.764,930. I PATENTED JULY 12; 1904.

T. P. DOLAN.

FILING CABINET.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 16, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented July 12, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS PARNELL DOLAN, OF HOUTZDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

FILING-CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,930, dated July 12, 1904.

Application filed June 16,1903. Serial No. 161,677. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

The purpose of my invention is to provide a cabinet for the convenient and systematic filing of letters, bills, invoices, and all kinds of documents and an accompanying index by means of which the various documents can be quickly and accurately located in filing, which index can be used for filing purposes, if desired; but at such time a supplementary index is employed.

Afurther purpose of the invention is to provide means carried, preferably, by the door of the cabinet for detachably holding the supplementary index in position for use and for holding the said index closed when not required, the supporting device for the index being readily detachable therefrom when required.

Another feature of the invention is to provide yielding partitions between which the index and filing cards are held, enabling convenient access to be gained to the spaces between the cards and any card be readily removed or replaced, one of which partitions is adjustable to and from the other and is provided with locking devices whereby to hold it in adjusted position.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved cabinet, the door being open. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the cabinet and contents with the door closed, the section being taken at a point near the center of the cabinet. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the cabinet and a movable partition therein, the section being taken practically on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an outer edge View of the movable partition. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a series of filing-cards detached from the cabinet; and Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through a portion of the door of the cabinet,

showing the retaining or supporting for the.-

provided with opposing yielding or cushioned surfaces, whereby access may be gained to the spaces between the filing-cards E and indexcards F, said cards being adapted to be held in an upright position between the two partitions. The cards E and F are all of the same dimensions and extend from the top to the bottom of the cabinet or the compartment in the cabinet in which the partitions C and D may be fitted.

The partition C, although removable from the cabinet, is adapted to normally rest against the inner face of the lefthand end of said cabinet, while the opposing partition D is adapted to have movement between the partition C and the opposing end of the cabinet. The partition D is provided with locking devices whereby it may be held in adjusted position, which locking devices will be hereinafter specifically described.

With reference to the construction of the partition C, as is shown in Fig. 2, it consists of two opposing boards or plates 10 and 11, held separated one from the other by interposed springs 12, usually four in number. The construction of this partition is completed by inclosing the said boards or plates 10 and 11 in a binder or cover 13. which may be of canvas, oil-cloth, or fabric of any description or' of the compartment of the cabinet in which the said partition D may be placed. The two boards or plates 14 and 15 are held separated by springs 16 in like manner as has been described with reference to the opposing partition C; but in what may be termed the outer face of the intermediate board or plate 15, which latter board or plate is thicker than the others, a chamber 17 is made, (shown best in Fig. 3,) having an opening 18 at the top of the partition, an opposing opening 19 at the bottom of the partition, and a third opening 20 at the front edge of the partition, preferably about centrally between the top and bottom. At or near the center of this chamber 17 a lever 21 is located, the handle end whereof is within easy access at the front opening 20 of the chamber, and the pivot 22 of the said lever is located between its center and its inner end, while the handle end of the lever is adapted for engagement with a segmental rack 23, secured to the back wall of the chamber 17, as is also shown in Fig. 3, the teeth of which rack incline downwardly. A link 24 is pivoted to the lever 21 at or near its center, and a second link 25 is pivoted to the rear end portion of the lever 21, the pivotal points of the two links 24 and 25 being about an equal distance from the pivot-point 22 of the lever. I At the upper end of the link 24 the inner ends of opposing jaws 26 and 26 are suitably pivoted, and these jaws 26 and 26, at a point preferably between their centers and rear ends,are fulcrumed upon the back or rear wall of the chamber 17 by suitable pins 27. At the outer end of each jaw 26 and 26 a sharp tooth 28 is located, which teeth extend upward at an angle to the body portions of the jaws, and in one position of the jaws the teeth 28 are adapted to extend beyond the upper opening 18 of the said chamber 17.

At the lower end of the link 25 jaws 29 and 29 are pivotally attached, corresponding to the upper jaws 26 and 26. These jaws are similarly fulcrumed to the rear wall of the chamber 17 by pins 30, as is shown in Fig. 3, and each jaw is provided with a sharp tooth 31, adapted in one position of the jaws 29 and 29 to extend out through the bottom opening 19 in the aforesaid chamber 17 ,as is also shown in Fig. 3.

The teeth of the gripping-jaws 26 and 26, 29 and 29 project beyond the upper and the lower edges of the partition D when the lever 21 is in its lower position, asis shown by positive lines in Fig. 3, and at such time the teeth of the gripping-jaws, respectively, enter the upper and lower walls of the compartment in which the partition is located, thus effectually holding the partition in the position to which it may have been adjusted.

When the lever 21 is carried up to the dotted position shown in Fig. 3, the gripping-jaws are drawn inward, as is also shown by dotted lines in the same figure, and the teeth carried by these jaws are carried fully within the chamber 17, thus enabling the partition D to be unobstructedly moved to or from the opposing stationary partition C.

After the gripping devices just described have been placed in position the outer or cover section 15 is secured to the intermediate section 15, thus completely closing the chamber 17, except at the top and at the bottom and at the front, and, finally, a binder 32 of any suitable material is made to inolose the entire structure of the partition D, which binder has an opening 33 at its front and at its outer side corresponding to the front opening 20 of the chamber 17 in order to afford ready access to the handle end of the lever 21, and where the binder extends over the top and the bottom openings 18 and 19 for the said chamber 17 the binder is provided with apertures 34, through which the teeth of the gripping-jaws pass when the adjustable partition is to be locked in its adjusted position.

The cards E and F for filing and for index purposes are all of the same size, and each card of a set is provided with a longitudinal recess in its forward edge, the recesses in a set or series of cards being of graduated length, so as to form at the bottom of the card nearest the left-hand end of the compartment in which the cards are placed a tongue 35, the next card having a tongue of sufficient length longitudinally to appear above the tongue of the first card, and so on, and on what I term the filing-cards numbers are produced on the tongues 35 of the cards, reading consecutively upward, the lowest number being on the lowermost tongue. The indexcards F are identical in construction with the filing-cards E, except that on the tongues of the index-cards the letters of the alphabet are consecutively placed.

When the cards E only are to be employed as filing-cards and the cards F are to be used as index-cards, the names of the writers of the documents are written on the index-cards and the number of the filing-card at which the letter is placed is located opposite the name. For example, if a letter is to be filed written by Jones the card J is withdrawn and the name is produced thereon, and if a space is available between the card marked 9 and the card marked 8 in the filing series the number 9 is placed after the name, and the cards 8 and 9 are separated and the document is placed between them. This separation is easily accomplished by reason of the cushioned or yielding action of the opposing faces of the partitions C and D. As the volume of correspondence increases the adjustable partition D is moved farther toward the right-hand end of the compartment in the cabinet, so as to'provide more space between the several cards of the filing series.

It may happen that the amount of material to be filed is so great that the cards F, usually h y g employed as index-cards, could with great convenience be used as fihng-cards. Under this latter arrangement a supplementary index G is employed, and the documents to be filed when located in the lettered or index series of cards are then placed in engagement with the card bearing the first letter of the name of the writer, and on the supplementary index the names of the writers or executors of the various documents are produced in regular order, and opposite each name either a letter or a number is written, according to whether the letter or document under that name has been placed on a correspondinglylettered card in the initial index-cards or under a number in the original filing-cards.

The supplementary index G is usually placed upon the inner face of the door B of the cabinet. and therefore this door is provided with a central panel 36 of less thickness than the frame of the door, so as to produce an inner chamber 36. (Shown best in Fig. 6.) The supplementary index is temporarily bound in the said chamber 36 by means of a retaining device H. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 6.) This retaining device H consists of a rod 38, which is held to turn in guides 39, attached to the inner face of the vertical member of the door-frame at the free end of the door, and at the top and the bottom of this rod 38 horizontal segmental arms 40 and 41 are produced, while at about the center of the said rod 38 a lug 42 is formed, normally extending inwardly or toward the hinged end of the door, as is shown in Fig. 1, and when the arms 40 and 41 are in locking engagement with the supplementary index G the free ends of the said arms pass through eyeleted openings 37 at the binding edge of the sheets composing the supplementary index Gand enter recesses 43 made in the panel 36, at which time the-lug 42 will bear against the end upright of the frame of the door, as is shown in Fig. 1, and the arms are held in looking position by passing a button-keeper 43 over the said lug 42. The free edges of the sheets composing the supplementary index G are held closed one upon the other by means of a button 44, pivoted at the swing or hinged end of the door.

It will be observed that when the button 44 is removed from engagement with the supplementary index G one sheet after the other can be swung out upon the arms 40 and 41, which serve as supports therefor. It is likewise evident that the supplementary index G may be removed at any time for an entry or for other purposes by simply disconnecting the keeper 43 from the lug 42 and carrying the said lug outward, as is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6, thus removing the arms 40 and 41 from retaining engagement with the leaves of the said supplementary index.

It will be further observed that the invention includes a system for filing papers of all descriptions applicable to a cabinet or compartments made for the purpose or any other compartment or cabinet-as, for instance, the, owner of a desk or cabinet may purchase the several parts and instal the system in any space or compartment found available, and two partitions D may be used instead of the partitions C and D. The supplemental index G, instead of being secured upon a door, as shown, can be placed upon any support constituting a portion of a cabinet or independent thereof. The system is especially adapted for filing railroad-tariffs or like documents.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a filing-cabinet, a series of filing and a series of index cards of uniform dimensions, each card of a series having a tongue at its forward edge, the tongues of the cards in a series appearing one above the other in vertical alinement, the tongues of the filing series of cards having numbers produced there-' on, and the tongues of the index series of cards letters, a stationary and a movable member located within the cabinet and extending from the top to the bottom of the same and between which the cards are held, the movable member forming a partition, the said partition being provided with a chamber having an opening at the top and at the bottom, and a looking device arranged within said chamber andv having members adapted to extend through the said openings for securing the movable partition in adjusted position, as described.

2. In a filing-cabinet, a series of filing and a series of index cards of uniform dimensions, each card of a series having a tongue at its forward edge, the tongues of the cards in a series appearing one above the other in vertical alinement, the tongues of the filing series of cards having numbers produced thereon and the tongues of the index series of cards letters, a stationary member and a movable partition, between which the cards are held, said stationary member and partition having yielding opposing faces, and locking devices carried by the movable partition and operating through openings in the top and bottom of the said movable partition upon the surfacesv of the cabinet above and below the partition, as described.

3. In a filing-cabinet, a movable partition, the same being provided with a chamber having an opening at the top and at the bottom and at the forward edge of the partition, a lever fulcrumed within the said chamber, the handle end whereof extends in direction of the front opening in the partition, a rack for the handle end of the lever, links extending in opposite directions from the lever, being pivoted at their inner ends at opposite sides of the fulcrum of the lever, opposing gripping-jaws pivoted at the outer end portion of each link, facing the upper and the lower openings for the said chamber, fulcrums for the said gripping-jaws, and teeth extending from the outer end portions of the said grippingjaws, being adapted in one position of the lever to extend outward beyond the upper and lower edges of the partition, as described.

4. In a filing-cabinet, a movable partition, comprising outer, inner and intermediate plates or boards, the inner and intermediate plates being connected yet spaced one from the other by interposed springs, the intermediate partition having a chamber therein, extending through a portion of the upper edge of the said intermediate plate or board,through a portion of its lower edge and through a portion of its forward edge, the outer plate or board being attached to the inner and intermediate board, closing the side portion of the chamber therein, a lever fulcrumed within the said chamber, the handle end whereof extends in direction of the front opening in the partition, a rack for the handle end of the lever, links extending in opposite directions from the lever, being pivoted at their inner ends at opposite sides of the fulcrum of the lever, opposing gripping-jaws pivoted to the outer ends of the said links, fulcrums for the gripping-jaws, located between their centers and outer ends, and teeth at the outer ends of the said gripping-jaws, being at an angle to the body of the jaws and adapted in one position of the said lever to extend out through the top and bottom openings for the said chamber, as and for. the purpose described.

5. In a filing-cabinet, the combination with the body of the cabinet, of members arranged in said body and having yielding opposing faces, one of said members being movable toward and from the other and forming a partition, and a locking device carried by the movable partition and comprising a lever, and. fulcrumed gripping-jaws connected by links with the said lever and adapted to engage the body of the cabinet, as set forth.

6. In a filing-cabinet, a movable partition located within the cabinet, and comprising outer, inner and intermediate plates or boards, springs between the inner and intermediate plates, the intermediate plate having a chamber therein, and a locking device arranged within said chamber and operating through openings in the edge of the plate, as described.

7. In a filing-cabinet, a stationary member and a partition located within the cabinet and extending from the top to the bottom of the same, the said member and partition being provided with yielding opposing faces, the partition being movable toward and from the stationary member, and locking devices carried by the movable partition and operating through openings in the top and bottom of the said movable partition, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS PARNELL DOLAN.

WVitnesses:

KATHRYN ROGERS, J NO. B. MoGRA'rH. 

